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I’m Brian Varela, and I ran for Congress in NJ’s 8th Congressional District.
I grew up in this district. Like many of you, my immigrant parents worked hard and sacrificed so much to give me the best shot at a good life. They instilled in me the values I carry today- hard work, discipline, respect for myself and others, from the sanitation worker to the senator.
They gave me the vision to see something better, and the conviction to go after my dreams. I am a serial entrepreneur. I know the pride of watching my businesses succeed but I have also experienced failure and learned from my mistakes. Because really, don’t you learn the greatest lessons from what didn’t work?
The events of the last two years have forever altered our lives, and for many, not for the better. Small businesses, the lifeblood of our country, have struggled mightily or are forever shuttered. Families, schools, health care workers, and so many others have all been deeply impacted and are searching for answers, for hope. I ran because I wanted to be your voice in Congress, to make sure that YOU are heard. Your voice counts.
I am the son of immigrant parents and I understand the needs of my community. We welcome your support whether it’s through donations, phone calls, texts, social media, or just spreading the word to your friends and neighbors. .
We have the most expensive healthcare system in the world and the worst healthcare system among developed countries.
Parents are victims of the "Benefits Cliff" and are unable to pursue careers or education because the financial strain of childcare is too much of a burden.
American Children have been falling behind. Our education system was not built for this new society. It is time to modernize education, incentivize teachers, and empower our future leaders.
Starting a business is part of the American Dream. It is one of the most impactful contributions that an American can make. Starting a business is hard enough without the existing hurdles that currently dissuade people from even trying. It’s time to change that.
Default rates have crept up steadily to 11.2%, and if you include delinquency rates it’s as high as 25%. This is limiting the growth of our economy and also crippling the advancement of millions of young people in their careers and in starting families. We need to create a clear path out of this crippling debt.
You’ll often hear people say that voting for a third-party candidate is a waste of a vote, or they’ll worry that the third-party candidate will be a spoiler. And these fears are absolutely valid in our current first-past-the-post voting. This means that people are often picking between two candidates they dislike in order to choose the “lesser of two evils.”
I have always been driven by the feeling that I am responsible for this world. I cannot stop until I know that my actions have created a better country for generations to come.
